The Carson Center Podcast

The God Who Becomes a Human Being (John 1:1–18)

Episode Summary

Don Carson explores the biblical theme of the incarnation, from the Old Testament's promises of divine visitation and judgment to the New Testament's revelation of Jesus as the incarnate Word, the true Light, and the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation.

Episode Notes

In this lecture, Don Carson explores the biblical theme of the incarnation, explaining the Old Testament’s anticipation of God's visitation which culminates in the New Testament. Carson shows how Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises, embodying both judgment and mercy. And he highlights the significance of John's Gospel, emphasizing Jesus as God's self-expression and agent in creation, connecting these themes to the New Covenant.

He teaches the following:

• God’s declared promises of forgiveness, transformation, and an eternal Davidic King
• The linguistic significance of Jesus’s name, and its connection to the theme of salvation
• The historical interpretation of John 1:1–18, and its relation to the creation account
• The role of John the Baptist as a witness to the true Light
• How the Old Testament law prepared the way for Jesus’s arrival
• Why Jesus’s sacrifice is the most profound display of God’s glory